Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Sept. 20, 2004

Wilmington, N.C.— The University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s Arts in Action Performance Series will present Putumayo’s Latinas: Women of Latin America at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, in Thalian Hall.

Women have long played an essential role in the music life of Latin America. Theirs are the voices that carry tradition, through lullabies sung to sleepy children or tunes brought forth during times of celebration. From generation to generation, women have helped serve as the collective memory of Latin American music culture. Featured at this performance are Totó La Momposina of Colombia, Mariana Montalvo of Chile and Belô Velloso of Brazil.

“The love these women have for their cultures is inspiring,” said Shannon Hooker, assistant director for programs and marketing, university union. “They have voices that stop the heart and a genuine gift for sharing all the passion and energy inherent in the timeless songs they sing.”

Totó La Momposina draws on the music and dance of the Colombian Caribbean and is accompanied by a range of traditional percussion, guitars and wind instruments. As a young woman, she traveled from village to village researching local rhythms. She has performed around the world since 1968 and counts her performance at the Nobel Prize ceremony for countryman and fan Gabriel Garcia Marquéz as a career highlight.

Mariana Montalvo was forced into a life of exile since the 1974 coup that brought the military regime of Augusto Pinochet to power in Chile. Although living in France, her connections to her roots have remained steadfast. With influences from the nueva canción tradition of sophisticated and powerful forms based on folkloric song, her music descends from the work of legendary Latin American singers such as Victor Jara and Mercedes Sosa.

Belô Velloso is the niece of two of Brazil’s most popular musicians, Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, so it is not surprising that she was raised in a very musical environment. As a child in the state of Bahia, the Brazilian region with the most profound African cultural influences, she was exposed firsthand to the work of some of the greatest names in popular Brazilian music as well as samba, bossa nova and other styles.

The Latinas: Women of Latin America tour represents the first of what will be an ongoing series of theme concert tours presented by Putumayo World Music and featuring some of the best live music from around the world.

BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $24 for general public; $21.60 for UNCW faculty/staff and Arts in Action subscribers; and $6 for UNCW students (limited availability). For tickets, call Thalian Hall box office at 910/343-3664 or 800/523-2820 outside the Wilmington area. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. UNCW members may purchase tickets at the University Union Information Desk.

ABOUT UNCW ARTS IN ACTION PERFORMANCE SERIES

Sponsored by the University Union at UNCW and funded in part by UNCW student fees, the Arts in Action Performance Series seeks to culturally enrich, educate and entertain both students and the general public through the presentation of diverse programs featuring professional, high-quality performing artists. For more information, visit the Arts in Action web site at www.uncw.edu/arts.

UNCW Arts in Action is a member of the N.C. Presenters Consortium and the U.S. National Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The 150 member venues of the N.C. Presenters Consortium may be visited at www.presenters.org.